The CIA Used Emoticons When They Hashed Out Benghazi Talking Points

Most people who follow the Benghazi saga know that the State Department and the CIA got in an epic battle over who was going to accept responsibility for the attacks on Benghazi.

So the talking points for each agency had to be just right. They were of utmost importance. So important, in fact, that the CIA used emoticons in its email traffic (some of which was just recently made available to the public).

Eventually, CIA Deputy Director Mike Morell reduced the talking points to three main items, The Post says. But the simplified version prompted concerns within the CIA that Petraeus would not sign off on the revisions. And an email quoted by the newspaper shows that some within the agency warned that the House panel that requested the information would not be satisfied with the talking points.

“They are fine with me. But, pretty sure [the House committee] won’t like them,” the CIA terrorism analysis director responded, according to the story, which notes that he ended his email with an emoticon of a smiling face.

Petraeus was less positive, saying he’d rather not use the memo as written. He added that it wouldn’t satisfy Ruppersberger.